'Advanced stage of decomposition': Pak actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s body found filled with insects, 'black-coloured mass'; police say remains lay in Karachi flat for 8–10 months

In a disturbing case, Pakistani actress and model Humaira Asghar Ali was found dead in her Karachi apartment, with forensic experts saying she likely died between eight to ten months ago.

Her body was discovered last week by a police team executing a court order to vacate the flat.


According to Geo News, which cited the initial post-mortem findings, the body was in an “advanced stage of decomposition.” Facial muscles had deteriorated, fingers and nails were reduced to bone, and large parts of the body had no muscle tissue left. The bones reportedly began to fall apart when touched.

Humaira had acted in several television serials and two films. She lived alone in an apartment in the upscale Defence Housing Society.

The report also said that her internal organs had turned into a “black-coloured mass” and brain matter was entirely decomposed due to autolysis. Cartilage in the joints was gone, though no bone fractures were found. While the head and spine remained intact, the spinal cord was missing. Brown-coloured insects were reportedly present, especially in the hair, but no maggots were found.

Because of the severe state of decay, experts were unable to determine the exact cause of death at this stage. However, DNA profiling and toxicology tests are underway and are expected to offer further insight.

Initially, police said that her family refused to take the body. “Her family members have flatly refused to own her or take the body for burial,” DIG South Zone Asad Reza said, adding they claimed to have severed all ties with her two years ago. He said the case posed unusual challenges, especially since her death had gone unnoticed for such a long time and no neighbours appeared to have raised any concerns.

Geo News later confirmed that her family received the remains on Thursday and transported them to Lahore by ambulance.